Crickett Rifle review

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Skans

Active member
So, I bought my 9-year old daughter a Crickett Rifle last week - little 22 single-shot, blued steel with a pink laminated wood stock. Here are my thoughts for anyone considering this rifle.

The rifle is sized and balanced perfectly for a child. It is easy to operate - no problem working the bolt, trigger, inserting a cartridge, etc. It's easy to aim and accurate. The laminated stock was nicely shaped and finished. Overall, a nice looking, easy to operate rifle. It's even drilled and tapped so a scope can be easily added. The only thing I didn't like on it was the plastic cocking handle and the plastic front sight. Both work fine, but a dovetailed front sight blade would be nice, and a steel cocking handle (bolt handle is steel) would be a nice touch too.

The bolt could be a little smoother to operate - but a little use and a touch of grease or oil (had no oil on it the way it came) will probably smooth it out a little.

We mostly shot 22 shorts out of it because it's a little quieter. This was her first time actually handling a rifle all by herself. She did great and really enjoyed it! It's a cute little rifle, I hope she doesn't outgrow it too quickly.

FYI, before shooting the rifle, I sat her down at a table and had her learn the various parts of the gun, how it operated, aiming, safety, and rules of shooting.
 
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10-96

New member
I hope she doesn't outgrow it too quickly.
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That's the problem with kids- you wake up one day and they're all grown up and stuff. My youngest is 8 months, and her next oldest sibling just turned 20. When the oldest one's were young, I was in the Army, young, broke, stoopid, gone a lot- I missed so much. Now, I try to hold onto each and every second... but with me being 44, those seconds fly by at the speed of light!

I kinda remember when those rifles had all metal parts, it kinda pained me to see them add plastic. It sounds like you're doing a great job there Pops! Be sure to haul a camera every time you two hit the range- it'll mean a lot some day.
 
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Saltydog235

New member
I got one of them for my son back in April or so. He's four and learning to shoot some. I just don't push him to do it yet but he's getting more and more interested. I had plans about all the things I was going to make him learn and test on before he shot it the first time, then I realized, he's four, help him hld the gun and just let him pull the trigger right now.
 
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jmortimer

Moderator
I looked at the Crickett and the Henry and decided to go with the Henry. It seemed to be better overall quality but both seem well suited to intended purpose - a first gun. BTW, the Henry is the "Official" gun of the Junior Olympics
 
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mayosligo

New member
Very cool. My three year old daughter seems interested. We have begun shooting a red rider bb gun. We aim and she pulls the trigger as best we can. I have already begun NRA safety training and getting her to know what a gun is and what do you do if you find one. She repeats that she does not touch it and goes to find an adult. I hope she remains interested and in A few years we can move up to a small 22.
 
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Chuck Dye

New member
If you are shooting shorts for the noise level, take a look at the Aguila Colibri and Super Colibri. They are powderless gallery rounds, true CBs, conical bullets. The Colibri nominally launches its 20 grain slug at 375 fi/sec, the Super Colibri the same slug at 500 ft/sec, both velocities from handguns. Aguila cautions against using either round in a rifle because the bullet may not exit the barrel and create an overpressure situation. I have never had a problem with either in my 77/22 but always listen for the report and bullet impact. Accuracy is acceptable at the 6-10 ft ranges I shoot them at inside my house. A box of old catalogs has proven to be more than adequate bullet trap. I am quite comfortable with shooting them from the rifle without hearing protection, less so with the handguns. My only issue with them is cost but they are comparable to shorts and CB caps. Several years ago, Cheaper Than Dirt offered Super Colibri at $5/brick. I keep watching for them to do it again.
 
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Scout

New member
I bought my youngest a Crickett when he was 6. It was a great learning tool and seems pretty robust. He outgrew it so fast. I bought him a Savage MkII by the time he was 8.
 
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JWT

New member
Bought a Cricket for my grandson 4 years ago.. He loved it and learned to shoot quite well with it. Nice little gun for a starter.
Now he's graduated and really likes my S&W 15-22. It works well for him because the stock can be adjusted to fit him since he's still growing.
The two guns make a nice combination for a young shooter.
 
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Skans

Active member
At 9, she was able to understand quite well the following concepts:

1. aware of where the firing line is
2. knowing the various parts of the gun: bolt, barrel, extractor, sights, muzzle, trigger, trigger guard, and stock.
3. how to properly handle the rifle and not "sweep" anyone with the muzzle
4. how not to place her finger on the trigger until ready to fire
5. could easily work the action, load the chamber, aim, and fairly accurately fire the rifle.

I have some acreage in North Georgia where we can shoot, so she didn't have to worry about anyone else shooting. But, I still wanted her to treat the experience as if she was at an actual range.
 
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bamaranger

New member
praise

Nothing but good things to say abouit the Cricket from me either. Ours devieloped a glitch in efect/extract and I called the factory. They sent a UPS truck out THAT DAY, and in about a week we got it back with a free case to boot.

Skans,

We shot .22 long CB's which had not report to speak of, no louder than a pellet rifle. The "long" case was a bit easier to handle than a typical "short" case.
 
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Skans

Active member
What are 22 long CB's? Is that sub-sonic ammo?

The 22 shorts were real easy for her to handle. I also like .22 short because they are a little less powerful and won't travel as far as 22lr. I suppose that because when I first learned to shoot, I fired 22 shorts from a bolt action .22 rifle. Also, Walmart had plenty of 22 short ammo - not cheap compared to bulk .22lr, though.
 
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taylorce1

New member
My daughter outgrew her cricket rifle rapidly and she is only nine as same as yours, but she has broke 5'2" already as well. I got it for her when she was six, a year ago I moved her up to a .223 and she hardly asks to take the cricket out anymore. I need to order an adult sized stock for her cricket and maybe she would ask to shoot it more.

My daughter just passed the CO hunters education course with a 100% on the final. Now I have to take her deer hunting in OK for Thanksgiving since she is too young to hunt big game in CO. She has earned as well a Sign Sauer Mosquito .22lr pistol for her performance in school this past year.
 
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SIGSHR

New member
Tut, tut, tut, teaching your offspring to shoot, to practice gun safety, bonding with her, filling her Memory Book. For shame!
FWIW when I got involved in a junior shooter's program I insisted the kids learn to use an "adult" rifle-with a stock proportioned for younger shooters-and learn to use the safety.
 
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bamaranger

New member
.22 long CB's

This round is made by CCI, (at least they were, not sure now) and are a .22 CB slug (basically a short slug, 27-29 grains) and charge (m,aybe no charge) , in a .22 long rifle case. A .22 CB (conical ball?) is less powerful than a standard or HV .22 short and typically is assembled in a short case, but they can be hard to handle. I'm not so sure a .22 CB is just the primer charge w/ no propellant.

A ".22 long" HV or standard velocity is a near defunct ctg that used the .22 long rifle case and the light 27-29 gr "short" bullet.

Don't mean to hijack the thread. This .22 CB long was a great trainer, in our Cricket, no hearing protection required, so I could coach in a normal voice and the boy would not be distracted by plugs or muffs.
 
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Skans

Active member
John, I had looked at those stocks, but I didn't realize that the same cricket barreled action would fit in an adult stock. I had assumed that they were intended for a different action. Good to know! And, the stocks are very reasonably priced.
 
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Geezerbiker

New member
I bought an older version of that same pink rifle for my granddaughter. Hers is one that was made with the steel cocking piece. Anyway I'll have it at least another 4 years before she's old enough to shoot it...

BTW, I went out shooting and took it along to see how it shot. The peep sites on it were right on and easy to use even considering the over all tiny size of the rifle.

I'll put a larger stock on it when she outgrows it. My daughter still has her first .22 and I suspect this girl will keep her first gun too.

Tony
 
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Scott429

New member
I bought a crickett a couple of months ago.. LOVE that little rifle! It has a heavy target bbl and no irons but will shoot little bitty groups with almost anything I feed it. The only issue I have is it wont shoot shorts worth a darn.
 
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Skans

Active member
I didn't know that the older ones had steel cocking handles. Now, I'd like to find an older bolt as a replacement!
 
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